Portable shield for soldiers.



T. R. STONEBURNER. PORTABLE SHIELD FOR SOLDIERS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. ms.

1, I Patented Now .21, 1916.

I 1/: attozneqs U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS R. STQNEBURNER, OF ALEXANDRIA, VIRGIL TIA.

PORTABLE SHIELD FOB SOLDIERS.

To all whom it may concern: I p Be it known that I, THOMAS R. STONE- BURNER, a'citizen of the United States, residing at Route No. 2, Alexandria, in the county of Alexandria and State of Virginia, have inYented-certain'new and useful Im provements in Portable Shields for Soldiers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a device adapted to be supported in protective position'upon the body of the soldier in such manner that the soldier may charge without interference by the shield, may kneelto fire with the shield upon the ground, or may completely reverse the shield so as to protect the rear of the person during retreat. v

Further objectsand advantages of the invention'. will be set forth in the detailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shield supported in the position it occupies during an advance. Fig. 2 is a perspective vview illustrating the shield resting upon the ground and serving as a protection to the soldier firing from behind'it. Fig. 3- is a planyiew of the shield and associated parts. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the shield in folded position. Fig. 5 is" a detail view of the fastening forthe belt. Fig. 6 is a detailview of a swivel member hereinafter described, and Fig. 7 is a detailof a spring spacing clement hereinafter described.

' Like numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the figuresof the drawing. Referring to the drawing, it will be seen that my improved shield comprises a V shaped construction consisting of two parts, 1 and B, which are hingedly connectedwith each other at 5. Each of the parts A and 1B comprises wings 6 and 7 which are hiugedly connected with each other at 8 so that the parts may be brought to the folded position illustrated in Fig. ,4. The wings 6 are provided with staples or eyelets S 'upon their inner sides, and the wings 7 are provided with staples or eyelets 9 upon their inner sides, said staples or eyelets 8 being engaged by snap-hooks of conventioual form indicated at 10. These snaphooks are carried by a strap 11 which passes up over theshoulders and behind the neck of the wearer, This strap carries loops 121. and 13 adapted to be engaged by snap-hooks 14 upon breast strap 15 which extends 1916. Serial No. 87,745.

' across thebreast of the wearer. Rear straps y A belt 19 of steel is provided with a series Specification of Letters Patent. Pa,tented'N0v. 21, 1916- Application filed March 30,

of pockets 20 formed by the proper bending of a metal strip. These pockets serve to receive cartridgesin the usual and wellknown way and I prefer to make the strip of aluminum. A readily detachable fastening must be provided for the belt. Such aform' of fastening is indicated at 21 in Figs 3 and'5. The particular type of fastening employed forms no part of the invention, thoughI prefer to employ asnap fastening such as is commonly used upon gaiters and which comprises a hook 22 adapted to pass through a slot 23. The

' straps 11 and 16 prevent the shield from sagging forwardly or rearwardly, and to.

hold the shield in proper spaced relation to the person rigid rods24 arepivotedly connected with eyes 25 of wings 7 and the opposite endsof these rods are connected bysnap-hooks 26 with eyelets 27 carried by the belt. These rigid rods 24 are made in two parts, 24, 24". These two parts of. the rigid rods are connected to each other by a pin 24, having heads 24:. These form a swivel which permits the part 24. to turn with relation to the part 24 so that if it becomes necessary for the soldier to retreat I hemay swingthe shield over to protect the 'rear 'of his person at which time the snaphooks 18 of the straps 16 may be engaged with the eyes8". The various straps may be provided with suitable adjusting loops 28.

The platesfi and 7 are made of spring steel, I am aware of the fact that it has heretofore been proposed to provide metallic shields ofthe same'general nature as those herein shown and described but I am not aware that it has ever been proposed to make such shields of spring steel so that they are a caused to have a locally yielding action by virtue of which they serve to deflect abullet. It is apparent that the' 'V shape of the shield aids in deflecting a bullet and that this action is supplemented by having the shields made. ofsuch material that they 10- cally yield. In other words, the mere making of the shield of spring steel will not result in the spring actionaiding in the deflection of" the bullet unless the shield is so shaped that the bullet strikes the shield at an angle other than at right angle. It will, therefore, be seen that there is a distinct coaction between the shape of applicants shield and the nature of the material of which the shield is made. If desired the rear edges of the plates 7 may be curved outwardly as shown at 29 in Fig. 3, and carry a packing of raw cotton which prevents a deflected bullet from injuring soldiers in the rear of the soldier who is actually protected by the shield.

While the shield in Fig. 1 is illustrated as covering the body of the soldier and leaving the head exposed, it is apparent that the shield may be raised or lowered at will by the straps and that the parts may be so arranged as to protect more of the upper portion of the body than of the lower portion thereof. I prefer to employ in conjunction.

with the shield herein shown and described, suitable protecting armor for the portion of the body which projects below the shield. The specified construction of this armor forms no part of the present invention, because I am well aware that armor worn directly upon the person has long been known. However, I prefer to employ in conjunction with the shield herein shown and described, protecting armor such as is indicated by the leggings 30 which are preferably of metal. It is to be understood that any suitable type of armor mayv be employed to protect those portions of the limbs of the user which projcct below the shield.

To render it possible for the soldier to fire from behind the shield when the shield is resting upon the ground, a suitable port hole 31 is provided, and as many of these port holes may be provided as is desirable.

If desired springs 31 may be employed in lieu of the rigid rods 2&.

Having described my invention what I claim is l. A device of the character described, comprising a belt, swivel rods attached to said belt, a V shaped metallic shield, means for securing said shield to said swivel members and straps for supporting said shield from the shoulders of the wearer," said straps being detachable from their engagement with the shield, and said shield being reversible upon said swivel members.

2'. A bullet-proof shield made of spring steel throughout to render it locally yielding, said shield being shaped to present a convex front face and means for supporting said shield from the shoulders.

3. A bullet-proof shield of V shape, made of spring steel to render it locally yielding in combination with means for supporting said shield upon the person.

4. A bullet-proof shield of V shape, haring its rear edges curved outwardly to provide elements for catching bullets deflected by the other portions of the shield and shoulder straps secured to said shield for supporting the shield upon the person.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS R. STONEBURNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained tor five cents each, by addressing the commission r of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

